REFORM UK candidate contesting the Gorton and Denton byelection has declined to distance himself from previous remarks suggesting that being born in Britain does not automatically make someone British, prompting criticism from rival parties.
Matthew Goodwin, who was formally unveiled on Tuesday (27) as Reform’s candidate in the south-east Manchester constituency, has previously argued that people from minority ethnic or immigrant backgrounds are not always British, the Guardian reported.
“It takes more than a piece of paper to make somebody ‘British’," he was quoted as saying.
Asked twice at a campaign event in Denton whether he still held those views, the GB News presenter did not respond directly. He later posed for photographs alongside Reform MP Lee Anderson, the party’s chief whip.
According to the most recent census, 44 per cent of residents in the constituency identify as belonging to a minority ethnic group, while 79 per cent describe themselves as British.
Lee Anderson defended Goodwin, calling him a “fearless” campaigner who would “debate anybody at any time”.
Labour’s deputy leader, Lucy Powell, accused Reform of seeking to “drive a wedge between communities in Manchester”, arguing that the party represented “division, animosity and hatred – not the unity and pride which our city stands for”.
Green party co-leader Zack Polanski went further, alleging that Goodwin had “a track record of anti-Muslim bigotry” and describing his candidacy as an insult to local voters. The Greens are widely regarded as strong contenders in the contest.
Polanski described the byelection as “a battle for the soul of our country”. Referring to recent defections to Reform by Robert Jenrick and Suella Braverman, he said the party was “pretending to be anti-establishment” while being made up of “former Conservative cabinet members”.
Reform is attempting to overturn Labour’s majority of around 13,000 votes and secure a ninth MP. The seat had returned Labour MPs for decades before boundary changes in 2024.
Goodwin’s selection has surprised some observers, given his outspoken views on nationality and Islam. In a recent article, he claimed Britain’s “ruling class” was suppressing debate about Islam, calling it “one of the most serious assaults on free speech and free expression Britain has ever seen”. More than a quarter of voters in the constituency identify as Muslim.
Asked about his message to minority ethnic voters, Goodwin said his appeal was based on economic contribution and fairness rather than identity.
“It’s not about what your religion is, it’s not about what your race is. It’s about whether or not you play by the rules, whether or not you feel the system is being fair to you," he was quoted as saying.
He added that many voters felt disconnected from a Labour government “not in touch with the people in this seat”.
Anderson said Reform’s campaign would focus on crime, struggling high streets and houses of multiple occupancy, which he claimed were linked to disorder in some neighbourhoods. Both men also repeatedly raised the issue of child sexual abusers, citing concerns in nearby Rochdale and Oldham.
Goodwin described Reform’s recent polling gains as “the most significant insurgency since the rise of the Labour party 100 years ago”, calling it “a seismic political revolution”.
